OpenDayZ Guru!

Cheap? Reliable? Unlimited control options? https://www.vilayer.com/virtual-layer/virtual-dedicated-servers.html
Vilayer Virtual Dedicated servers are good. 10 euros a month, Europe servers. This is a windows VPS and you will have to install all the software but it gives you the flexibility to do what YOU want which is much better than a standard game host, therefore I strongly recommend a VPS for any serious servers. Not only do they provide more options, they are usually CHEAPER! (vilayer calls windows server 'virtual dedicated servers' and linux 'vps'). If you are 'tech' enough to install software and a dayz server on your home PC then you can do it on one of their VDS.
And most importantly for the small server is that the prices are cheap enough that you can afford to keep your server up as a hobby, and migrate to a more powerful server IF it becomes popular.
If you are interested in a VPS, here is some info. (Just sharing some of my experiences)

The single core server will work fine as long as you limit all the other windows services. Hosting companies (and admins) will tell you how their server has many 16GB of ram and 8 cpu's, but Arma2 is HARD-CODED to use a max of 2GB ram and 2 cpu cores. I never saw any of my servers go above 1.3 GB of ram and as for the cores, it uses mostly a single core. I run Arma2 servers all the time on a Linux VPS with 2GB of ram and 2 shared cores with a dozen or more players without any lag whatsoever. (if I had a server with constant 25+ players I would definately use a KVM server with 2 cpu cores and 2gb, ... more if you must use Windows OS)
The difference between Linux and Windows VPS: Windows VPS will run on KVM virtualization while Linux is almost always OPENVZ virtualization. The difference is that OpenVZ shares the computers resources among all hosts, so while you are given 2 cpu and 2GB you are not guaranteed to have that at all times .. someone else might be hogging the cpu or ram and then your server is not getting access to resources you expect. A KVM server does guarantee that you are always going to have the 2cpu and 2GB at a minimum at all times. So KVM is preferred, but on the Arma2 server we have been running for quite a while using Linux OpenVZ it has only had a single time (about an hour) where the system lagged due to lack of resources. http://www.gametracker.com/server_info/192.3.159.133:2302/

Can you run Dayz/Epoch/Overwatch on a linux VPS? Yes, you can. The advantage? Linux is more stable, provides more server management options, and is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. The reason Windows is required is because of the external dll to write to the mysql database. A clever person has created a workaround for that by using an external perl file that reads and writes to the database for dayz. There isnt difficult https://github.com/denisio

And here is the final reason why I recommend using a Linux VPS and denisios builds.

Yes, that is $30 a YEAR for quad core, 2GB vps. Its OpenVZ but the price more than makes up for any issues you might have with server overloading which might occur for an hour or so every few months. And even if it does, its been my experience that standard hosts are frequently down or suffer DDOS attacks, which I never have because why would someone target my single IP rather than trying to disrupt an entire company. And during the holidays, this company offers its current users some lifetime discounts so I am actually paying $15 a YEAR for that server.

Valued Member!

OpenDayZ Guru!

No, of course not. BUT kvm virtualization dedicates the resources to each virtual host and therefore it is functionally identical to a dedicated server. I didnt mention the dedicated servers, but same logic applies: Arma2 can only use 2gb and 2 cores so anything more is wasted (above what the OS needs, which is significant if Windows and close to zero for Linux).
I have some dedicated servers with these guys, dual core, 4gb server is only $10 a month, but only available on East coast of US https://www.wholesaleinternet.net/dedicated/ installing windows is not done by them tho, you have to do it yourself.

All that being said, I have never had an issue running Arma2, Dayz, Arma3 and many other games on a VPS given that they are low population servers (20 players or fewer). I am not saying that they cant handle more players, but I havent had the opportunity recently although we do run multiple 10-15 player servers on a quad-core, 4gb OpenVZ linux vps without any issues.

CPU cores. I have read something more definitive elsewhere but as this says, using a quad-core you can force it to only use dual core to resolve any issues which suggests that arma2 wont gain from more than 2 cores.

Now of course if you can have a quad core cpu and allocate 2 cores to arma2 and the other 2 for the OS, you would see a bit of performance boost

OpenDayZ Guru!

i used linux on mine but they will probably intall it for you but you have to provide the cd key. otherwise you could mount a windows iso on the virtual drive and install ...
their dedicated servers vary from week to week, check back often ... i had 2 and it was a flawless experience.
i am linux fan for servers ... even dayzhttps://github.com/denisio/Dayz-Linux-Server

Well-Known Member

OpenDayZ Guru!

Linux doesnt use DLL's, which is why there is an issue that requires a 'workaround'. The Hiveext.dll will not run on linux to write to the database. So what the Linux port does is runs a perl script simultaneously that reads and writes the data into the mysql database FROM the arma20aserver.rpt file. So the change in files that is required is all the hivereadwrite function calls are replaced with a diag_log line. Does that make sense? Instead of writing to the Database via hiveext.dll, Dayz writes the database info to the log and an external script parses, reads and writes.

Screen capture of the file compare You can see on the LEFT is denisios Linux where the hiveReadWrite has been removed and the _key is replaced with diag_log. So its pretty simple to update any dayz version by replacing similiar code in about 20 locations.
And thinking on it, you could probably instead just edit the server_hiveReadWrite function and server_hivewrite in dayz_server.pbo/server_functions.sqf to print the _key to the log instead of interfacing with the database ...

The hardest part is getting some of the prerequisates to install, stick with a 32bit version of Linux makes it much easier.

OpenDayZ Guru!

when dayz makes a read call, the writer.pl reads the db and writes the data to a 'cache' file which has been #included into the server ... i think, at work and the files on the github are in pbo so i cant look directly right now. but thats what i recall, the cache file with the read data is included into the server so a function reads it directly from dayz. i was going to look at the player login files in dayz_server since they primarily read the player data so it will be easier to find the code there.

btw. i asked wholesaleinternet about windows servers and they said they dont do that right now but referred me to another company that will allow you to install your own copy of windows at no extra charge.https://www.datashack.net/cart/?id=151
looks good to me,
2cpu/4cores 8gb for $29
or they have a kvm virtual server for same price that comes installed with windows 2012, 4cpu/ 8gb and 60gb ssd drive https://www.datashack.net/vps-options/
lots of options there for less than $30 a month, no first hand knowledge of them tho.

and since this thread was about hosts let me tell you all about vilayer. i have always been VERY happy with them until now. my server was down for a week, dont use it so no matter but then i created a tcket to get it restarted as it was unresponsive via control panel.
4 days after my ticket .. no response, so i made a new ticket showing that my first ticket had been ignored.
2 days went by, no response. so i created ticket for billing to cancel the server since its down and i dont use it. i had prepaid them a few times and i had $50 credit so asked for a refund. within 6 hours they 'escalated' my ticket ...
the result? its been 3 days since they escalated the tickets and have still received no replies for ANY of my tickets nor have i been refunded my $50 credit.server is STILL down

you CAN install it on a 64 bit system, i have, but it requires the 32 bit dll's of lib32stdc++6 and i seem to recall that they werent in the repository so had to install manually or backport or something ... i just recall telling myself to install 32bit linux next time to make it easier.

Well-Known Member

That matches my experience with Villayer in the past. Right now i'm using Vert Hosting. It is very rare for them to not respond inside of 24 hours, sometimes they inform me of the issue before I know about it. One problem is their tech guys are in Australia, so hours are weird.

New Member

LOl vilayer...poor vilayer. I have a free server, teampseak and website with them till 2017, had it for 6 months so far lol. They are useless IMO. I dont even use the teampseak or server. Teamspeak crashed constantly, server was down often enough, and like shooting said, it took 3 days to reply. My website is still there, although i ALMOST purchased a REAL host. it went down 3 times in a month, each time was minimum 36hrs. Not once i got a response to my ticket till the site was up. lol ahh vilayer.
Depends where you live, but i have a dedicated box with soyoustart. They are a sister company of OVH. Great service so far no complaints.

Member

I know this is old thread but If anyone is looking for cheap DayZ SA server hosting let me know I can get 60 slot servers for as little £28/$38/€34 or 30 slots approx £14/£19/€17 UK and US locations, possibly EU also! Just message me here or look for Captain Bigzy on steam and add me for further details!